Jigsaw Puzzle
by Angie D
Summary: Ron and Hermione are beginning to have confused feelings about each other. They are being increasingly awkward around each other and having more arguments than ever. Will they ever admit their feelings to each other...let alone to themselves? Maybe, but i
1. Chapter 1

            Tap, tap, tap, came a noise at the window in a small room with walls covered in posters of seven people in bright orange robes; a groan came from the other side of the room.  Ron sat up in his bed, rubbing his eyes and yawning.  "An owl at this hour of the night?" he said groggily.  He looked to the window and saw Pigwidgeon bobbing up and down outside of it, holding a letter.  "I should have known," Ron sighed, going over and opening the window.

            Pigwidgeon flew in, dropping the letter on Ron's head and zooming around and around excitedly, getting feathers everywhere.  "Calm down, Pig!" Ron hissed at him, taking the letter off of his head and laying it on the bed.  "You'll wake everyone else up!" He caught him and forced him into his cage, muttering "Stupid little feathery git."

            Ron walked back over to his bed and picked up the letter; his heart skipped a beat when he recognized the near handwriting.  He shook himself mentally.  "It's just a letter from Hermione," he told himself.  "It's no big deal.  She writes me every summer."  He tore it open and read it:

_Dear Ron,_

_            I hope you're having a nice summer.  I am.  I just try not to think about…the incidents of the end of this past school year.  I'm very worried about Harry, though, and it's horrible thinking that he's already so troubled and now he's with his horrible aunt and uncle.  You're his best friend.  Maybe he'd feel a bit better if he talked to you about it.  You should ask him when he visits you, which I'm sure he will._

"Sure he might feel better if he talked to someone, but I don't enjoy prying into other people's business, Hermione," Ron thought aloud.  He then read on:

            _I visited Viktor in Bulgaria for a week…_

            _Viktor._  The name seemed to glare up at him from the parchment; to smirk at him.  He glared back at it, a surge of anger coursing through him.  The letter consisted of quite a bit more of Hermione's  neat handwriting, but he crumpled up the parchment without reading any more and threw it in the trash.  He then went over to the pile of his schoolbooks in the corner and rummaged through them until he had found a small fragment of parchment.  It was the piece that Viktor Krum had signed for him.  He crumpled it up and threw it into the trash along with Hermione's letter, wondering why he had wanted it.  He then flopped on his bed, fuming; unable to go back to sleep.

            _"I hate Viktor Krum," _Ron thought, glaring up at the ceiling.

            _"Really? You were a huge fan of him when he first arrived at Hogwarts, weren't you?" _said a voice in his mind.

            _"Yes, but…well…It was different when I actually met him."_

_            "What do you mean?"_

_            "Well…"_

_            "You don't know, do you?"_

_            "I just know I hate him!"_

_            "You didn't hat him until you saw him with Hermione at the ball."_

_            "Well…It was just sort of strange, I guess, since he's really famous, and Hermione's my friend…"_

_            "Are you sure?"_

_            "Sure of what?"_

_            "That Hermione's just a friend."_

_            "I don't know what you mean."_

_            "You've never thought that she might be more; might mean more to you than that?"_

_            "Of course not!"_

_            "Then why have you been thinking about her so much lately?"_

_            "…I don't know."_

It was true.  He _had _been thinking about her often-almost every day, but she _was _ just a friend…or was she…? Ron sighed.  "I must be going insane," He said aloud to the ceiling.  Pigwidgeon hooted sleepily from his cage.


	2. Chapter 2

       As usual, Harry came to the Burrow to visit near the end of the summer. Ron thought Harry's visit would take his mind off of Hermione for a while, but he was sorely disappointed. Harry was unusually quiet. He thought of telling Harry his confusion about Hermione, but decided against it. _"He wouldn't understand," _Ron thought. _"and he has enough to worry about right now without me adding my own troubles to it."_

       Ron didn't know how to act around Harry when he was so subdued. He had never known. Being around upset people had always made him feel uncomfortable. Everyone was trying to cheer Harry up, though, and he tried to follow their example as best he could.

       On the second day of Harry's stay at the Burrow, Pigwidgeon arrived with another letter from Hermione. After he had caught the tiny, enthusiastic fluff ball and put him in his cage, Ron handed the letter to Harry to read.

       "Dear Ron, and Harry if you're there," Harry began to read out loud, but Ron stopped him.

       "Don't read it out loud. Just tell me if there's anything important."

       "All right," Harry replied slowly, giving Ron a strange look. "She says she'd like to come visit if your parents don't mind..."

       "I'm sure they won't," Ron answered.

       "Wait," continued Harry. "She says that..." He hesitated.

       "What?" Ron inquired.

       "Nothing," Harry said in an entirely unconvincing manner.

       "Just let me see it!" Ron snapped, snatching the parchment from Harry's grip and skimming over it until he came to:

_       Also, if your parents wouldn't object, Viktor would like to visit as well..._

       "No," Ron said flatly. "He's not coming here."

       "Ron, he really isn't-"

       "I said he's _not _coming here!" Ron yelled.

       "If you don't want him to, I guess Hermione won't mind," Harry replied, who knew better than to argue further. However, Ron's shout had attracted the attention of Fred and George, who had been on the staircase near his room.

       "What's Ickle Ronniekins yelling for?" asked Fred.

       "It's really none of your-"

       "What's this?" interrupted George, picking up the letter, which Ron had laid on his bed. "Viktor Krum come to visit us?" he said excitedly. "Mum'll _have _to let him come!"

       "I don't want-"

       Ron was again interrupted as Fred and George were both talking excitedly at once, running downstairs with the letter. He ran after them, trying to snatch it back, but they were soon downstairs showing it to Mr. Weasley.

       Ron's parents immediately said that they didn't have any objection to Krum visiting, and the chatter drowned Ron's objections out. Finally he couldn't take it any longer. "I...DON'T...WANT...HIM...COMING...HERE!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. His parents, Percy, Ginny, and Fred and George all turned to look at him. Harry was looking at Mrs. Weasley, though why, he didn't know.

       There was silence for a moment, while everyone looked at Ron, who was glaring at all of them. "Ron, it wouldn't be very polite to-"

       "I don't care about being polite!" Ron interrupted Mrs. Weasley. "He's _not _coming here!"

       "Honestly, Ron. What do you have against him?" asked Ginny.

       "Well...He went to Durmstrang, Ginny! You know what kind of people go there!"

       "You know he's not like the rest of them, Ron! It's unfair to stereotype people like that!"

       "I know, but...Oh, all right. He can come here. As long as I don't have to see him." Ron said angrily, going up to his room and slamming the door. Right before he entered his room, Ron saw Harry muttering something to Mrs. Weasley, gesturing up towards him, but he was too angry to wonder what it was about.

       Later, Ron heard a knock on his door. "Who is it?" he snapped.

       There was no answer. Mrs. Weasley just walked right in. "What are you doing up here by yourself?" she asked, looking at him. He was lying on his bed, his head resting on his hands.

       "Just thinking," Ron replied.

       "I see," said Mrs. Weasley. "Well...I just wanted to talk to you."

       "Why?"

       "About Viktor Krum..."

       "What about him?" Ron said.

       "You don't have to be around him if you don't want to."

       Ron looked up. "I don't?"

       "No, you don't," replied Mrs. Weasley. "I understand now." She smiled knowingly and sympathetically at him.

       "What are you talking about...and why are you smiling like that?" said Ron, confused.

       "Never you mind, Ron. Just get back to your...thinking," replied Mrs. Weasley in a gentle tone. He thought he saw her shake her head as she left the room, muttering something with his name in it.

       "Is Mum starting to go crazy, too?" muttered Ron to himself.

       Hermione and Krum arrived the next day.

       "Hey, Harry!" Hermione said, hugging him in greeting. She paused. "Hi, Ron." Ron felt his heart thump against his ribs when Hermione looked at him. He didn't know why, but he hoped she would hug him, too. She didn't, however, but went on to greet Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

_       "Perfect, famous, Harry Potter," _Ron thought bitterly, turning to glare at Harry, who looked at him with a puzzled expression.

       "Something wrong?" Harry asked.

       "No, Nothing," Ron said quickly.

       Harry gave Ron a searching look before shrugging and turning to greet Krum, shaking his hand. Ron simply nodded towards him without saying anything.

       Ron avoided Krum as much as he could, spending a lot of time up in his room. No one said anything about it. He saw his mother and father exchange some looks, and wondered what it was all about. Eventually, Hermione decided to talk to him. She went upstairs and rapped lightly on his door. When he didn't answer, she rapped a little louder.

       "What?" came Ron's annoyed reply.

       "I only want to talk to you, Ron!" yelled Hermione. She couldn't get in, because ever since the time his mother had just barged in the door, Ron and been locking it.

       "Will you please just open the door?" Hermione asked. "Please, Ron?"

       Ron sighed and let Hermione in, figuring she wouldn't leave him alone until he did.

       "Let's just get to the point right away," Hermione said as she walked into Ron's room and closed the door behind her. "You've been avoiding Viktor. Why?"

        Ron searched his mind for an answer that wouldn't sound stupid. "Well, I...I don't trust him!" he said quickly.

       "What exactly do you mean by that?"

       "Well...What if he's...a spy for You-Know-Who or something? What if he tries to...to hurt you or-"

       "That's absolutely ridiculous, Ron!" replied Hermione, rolling her eyes. "I think I can tell who's trustworthy myself, thank you...probably much better than you can."

       "You can't know for sure! He could be!"

       Hermione rolled her eyes again. "You're hopeless, Ron." A sudden idea seemed to occur to her. "Have you talked to Harry like I asked you to in my letter?" she said slowly.

       "No...why?"

       "Why not?"

       "I don't enjoy meddling in other people's business, Hermione!"

       "Really? Then why are you meddling in mine?"

       "Well, I...I...er..." Ron stammered. Hermione had him in a trap. He struggled to find something to say that wouldn't put him in a deeper hole than he was already in. Unfortunately, he wasn't quite as clever as Hermione. He could feel her eyes glaring at him, and he stared determinedly at the floor, his ears beginning to turn red. "I don't know," he finally said, his ears turning redder. "I guess maybe it's because...I feel sort of weird with him around. I-I'm sorry."

       Ron didn't look up from the floor, but he was sure Hermione was looking at him with a strange expression. She could have rubbed it in that he had actually apologized to her, but she didn't. "Why does he make you feel uncomfortable, Ron?" she asked in a much gentler tone.

       "Well...er...Since you and him are..."

       "You know we're just friends, Ron!"

       "Well of course I..." Ron paused and looked up. "You are?"

       "Yes! I told you in that letter I sent you a while back..."

       "Oh...Right." Ron couldn't pretend he hadn't received the letter since he'd already acknowledged that he had earlier, so he didn't know what to say. However, to his surprise, Hermione didn't ask any questions.

       "I think you should probably apologize to Viktor," was all Hermione said. She was about to leave his room when she paused and turned around. "-and thank you for being honest, Ron." She added. She paused again. "Just so you know, I could never have better friends than you and Harry." Ron had never heard Hermione speak in that tone of voice before, and he couldn't place what it meant. She hesitated a moment, then walked towards him, stood on her tiptoes, and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. She then turned away quickly and left, Ron staring after her with a startled, slightly dazed expression.


	3. Chapter 3

            Ron stood staring at the door for several minutes.  It took a while for his brain to register what had happened-that Hermione Granger had just _kissed_ him.

            "It's not like it meant anything," Ron told himself.  "It was just a friendly kiss.  That's all."

            _"Even if it was just friendly, you didn't mind it, did you? You liked it, didn't you?" _said the little voice inside of Ron.__

            _"No! Well…maybe…just a little…but this is Hermione…"_ He didn't want to think anymore.  He was just going around in circles.  _"I guess I'll go appoligize to Krum," _he thought, opening his door and walking downstairs.

            Ron walked into the living room.  He saw Hermione sitting by the fireplace, and she looked towards him when he entered, but he didn't look her in the eyes.  "I think I'll…apologize now," he mumbled, feeling his ears turn slightly red.

            Hermione nodded.  "He's outside with Harry and Fred and George," she said simply.  She didn't meet his eyes either, and the part of her face Ron could see was tinged pink.

            "Right," said Ron quickly, still mumbling, and went outside.  He didn't se anyone.  "_I guess they went to that little field to play Quidditch," _he thought, walking there.  Sure enough, there they were, Krum and Harry with their Firebolts and Fred and George with their Cleansweeps.  (A/N: That may be wrong.  I don't remember what kink of brooms Fred and George have.)  Harry was attempting a Wronskei Feint with the others watching him.  He flew down in a spectacular dive, though didn't quite come out of it fast enough.  Luckily, Fred and George had thought of putting a mattress on the ground, or he would have been seriously hurt. 

            "Your dive vas very good.  You just need to work on pulling out of it at the right time," said Krum.  "Next time you should…"

            Not wishing to interrupt, Ron stood and watched as Krum told Harry the specifics that he needed to work on.  He then walked up to him when he was finished.

            "Hey, Ron," said Harry cheerfully.  "You want to play some Quidditch with us?"

            "No, thanks," said Ron.  "I just wanted to talk to Krum for a minute…"

            "What about?" asked Fred.

            "It's really none of your business," Ron replied.

            "Vell…I don't mind," said Krum.  He looked towards Harry.  "_You_ don't, do you?"

            "No, That's all right," Harry replied.

            Krum and Ron walked away from the group.  Krum then watched Ron, waiting for him to speak.  Ron wasn't quite sure how to begin.  "Well…I…I just wanted to apologize," he finally said.  "It was very rude of me to avoid you like I've been doing.  It was just…a misunderstanding.  Will you forgive me?"

            "Of course," said Krum.  "Don't vorry about it."  He held out his hand, and Ron shook it.  "So…Vould you care to join us?" Krum asked.

            "No, That's all right.  You can get back to helping Harry with his Wronskei Feint."

            Krum nodded, heading back towards the field, while Ron went back towards the house.  Though he was on speaking terms with Krum now, he still didn't like him very much.

            Ron went back to the living room to find Hermione still there, reading a book.  Mr. Weasley was at work, Mrs. Weasley had gone to visit a friend of hers, and Percy was up in his room and didn't want to be bothered.  Ron supposed he was still very upset about Mr. Crouch's death.  He had been up in his room a lot.  Ron and Hermione were alone in the room.  A bit nervous, Ron wondered if he should have stayed outside.  "I…apologized to him," he informed Hermione.

            "Good," Hermione said simply.

            "What are you reading?" Ron questioned.

            "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring," Hermione replied.  (A/N: Sorry…I couldn't resist…lol) "It was written by a Muggle, so of course the concepts of wizards and such aren't true, but it's a wonderful fantasy epic, in which-"

            "Your read fiction, Hermione?" Ron interrupted.

            "Sure.  Now and then.  Of course it's all nonsense, so I don't learn things from it really, but it can be quite fascinating…"

            "Even upside-down?" Ron grinned.

            "Well…er…yes.  Yes, Sometimes I like to read books upside-down," Hermione stammered, quickly turning the book around and turning rather red.

            Ron tried several times to start a conversation, but that was rather hard to do with a person who wouldn't look at you.  He eventually gave it up, and was rather relieved when Harry came back inside, challenging him to a game of chess.

            "Something wrong, Ron?" Harry asked.

            "No, Not at all.  What's weird about wanting to play chess?" Ron responded.

            "Nothing," said Harry.  "It's just that you look a little…Never mind.  Let's play.  I know I'll lose miserably, but it'll be fun anyway.

            To Harry's great surprise, he did _not _lose miserably.  He _won_, in fact.  He had never won a game of chess before, especially not against Ron.

            "What's the matter with you, Ron? How could you have let that happen?" said Harry, looking a bit concerned.

            "I dunno.  I guess I just wasn't concentrating," Ron replied.

            "Are you sure you're all right?"

            "Yes!" Ron snapped.  "I'm _fine_! Because I lost doesn't mean I've become terminally ill or something, okay?"

            "Sorry," Harry said quickly, knowing better than to continue questioning.  "How about a rematch?"

            "No, thanks.  Maybe later," Ron answered.  He went to bed that night with his head still spinning with the same unanswerable questions.


	4. Chapter 4

"You lied to me, Hermione! You said you were only friends with Viktor!"

"I wouldn't lie to you, Ron. I honestly don't think of Viktor as anything more than a friend!"

"Sure. Of _course_ you don't," Ron replied with very heavy sarcasm.

As summer was nearing an end, Viktor Krum had just left the Burrow to return to his home, and Ron had witnessed him kissing Hermione goodbye. He was furious. Once again, Ron and Hermione were having a rather loud argument. They were outside, but the noise probably carried to the house, if not to the whole neighborhood.

"Why can't you even _try _to listen to me for once?" Hermione yelled.

"All I want is to know what the truth is! How am I supposed to believe you now?"

"I _told _you, Ron. I wouldn't lie to you. Honestly I wouldn't. I'll talk to Viktor if that makes you happy, okay? I guess maybe he doesn't understand that I don't want my relationship with him to be more than friendship."

"That's not answering my question!"

"_What _question?" snapped Hermione.

Ron was growing tired of beating around the bush. "_Do _you like him as more than a friend or _don't _you?" he asked bluntly, for this was the burning question that he had wanted to know the answer to ever since the Yule Ball.

"If you _must _know, I don't really know, but since when is it your business? Why do you care if I do or not?"

"Well, I..." Ron said slowly, trying to think of, or at least make up, a reason why he cared.

"Do you just enjoy bothering me? Is that it?"

"No...I just-"

Acting as though she hadn't heard Ron, Hermione continued. "Well I am tired of this, Ronald Weasley, and I don't know why I bother putting up with you! What's wrong with my meeting someone who actually _cares_ about me; who doesn't find something to argue with me about almost _every_ _single day_; who _appreciates_ me for once; who isn't a self-centered _git _like you?" She stormed off, tears in her eyes, and Ron glared after her.

Ron heard a sound at his feet and looked down to see Crookshanks there. "Hey," he said quietly, bending down and scratching Crookshanks behind the ears. He'd been getting along fine with Crookshanks since the end of his third year of Hogwarts. "I don't know how or why I put up with her," he told the cat. "I just asked a question. She didn't need to get all worked up about it!"

Crookshanks meowed.

"I know I'm who started it, but, well...I didn't start this whole thing! It wasn't _my _idea for Hermione to go to that ball with Krum!"

Crookshanks meowed again.

"I know I'm who started those huge arguments about it, and that no one else seems to have a problem with it, but...I guess I'm just jealous because Krum's a famous Quidditch player and all. I don't really care about Hermione being with him otherwise.

Crookshanks meowed yet again, and maybe it was just his imagination, but Ron thought the meow sounded sarcastic.

"What?" said Ron angrily. "You don't believe me? You've been around Hermione too much. Why am I talking to a stupid _cat _anyway? Go away and leave me alone!"

Ron was about to kick Crookshanks, but Crookshanks was too fast and ran away. Ron kicked a rock instead.

Ginny came outside to find Ron throwing a rock into the garden pond, scattering the frogs in it. "Where's Hermione?" she asked.

"I dunno, and I don't care, either," Ron replied, throwing another rock.

Ginny sighed. "You had another argument with her, didn't you?"

"So?" Ron said, looking for something else to throw into the pond.

"Could you please stop terrorizing the frogs for a minute?" asked Ginny. "I just want some idea of where Hermione is so I can ask her something."

"_I _dunno where she went. She just told me I'm a self-centered git and ran off crying. I don't know what her problem is."

"She was _crying_?" said Ginny. "I'm not asking you what you said, but don't you think you should apologize?"

"Why waste my time? She deserved it!" Ron snapped. Although he didn't tell Ginny, he felt slightly guilty that he'd made Hermione cry. After all, he always got angry when _other _people made Hermione cry, like that time when Snape called Hermione an insufferable know-it-all and she started crying and he got detention because he yelled at Snape...when Ron asked himself _why_ he got so angry when people made Hermione cry, however, he didn't really know.

Ginny just sighed and went to find Hermione.

Ron and Hermione didn't speak to each other for the rest of the day. No one said anything about it, probably afraid that another argument would ensue if the topic were brought up. Ginny tried to get the two of them to talk to each other, but it was no use. The only way Ron and Hermione communicated was through glaring at each other from time to time.

Although Ron tried not to show it, he began to feel pangs of guilt when Hermione glared at him. Her last words of the argument kept going through his mind, and continued to when he went to sleep that night.

_"What's wrong with my meeting someone who actually _cares _about me; who doesn't find something to argue with me about almost _every single day; _who _appreciates _me for who I am for once..."_

Those words stung Ron. Did Hermione really think that he didn't care about her at all; that he didn't appreciate her for who she was, but was only her friend for the free homework help? _"That's not true at all...As much as I hate to admit it," _he thought. _"I admire her. She's lightened up over the years, but she still can be serious when she has to be...She always has clever solutions to things...She does her best to help Harry and I...She's a wonderful friend...Why do I just take that for granted so much? She's not like other girls at all...She doesn't spend half her time worrying about how she looks and what other people think of her...She has a real laugh instead of a stupid fake giggle...yet...she's pretty, in her own way...and..."_

Ron sat bolt upright in bed. "Oh, God..." he whispered aloud in disbelief. _"I've officially gone insane..." _he thought. He couldn't go back to sleep.

Ron quietly went into Ginny's room, went over to Ginny's bed, and shook her.

"Wh-what? What's wrong? Is it morning already?" said Ginny groggily.

"Shh!" Ron hissed. "Ginny, I have to talk to you!"

"Can't it wait until morning?"

"No!"

"What is it, then?"

"Not here," said Ron in a hushed voice, glancing over at Hermione's bed and quickly looking back to Ginny. "Downstairs."

Ginny would have refused, but she looked up and saw the panicked look on Ron's face. "All right," she said curiously.

"So what's wrong?" Ginny asked when she and Ron were in the living room.

"Ginny...Am I insane?" Ron asked.

"Of course you aren't. Whatever gave you that idea?" said Ginny, looking at Ron strangely.

"You're sure?"

"Of course I'm sure! Ron, there is nothing wrong with you!"

"But there must be! There has to be! Maybe I'm insane and you don't know it..."

"Ron, I insure you that you're perfectly sane," said Ginny. "Now what is it? A bad dream?"

Ron paused. "Promise me you won't laugh," he said.

"I won't. Just tell me," said Ginny, starting to get impatient.

Ron took a deep breath, looking at the floor, and began, in the sort of tone someone uses when they are telling someone they have a fatal disease. "I was just thinking...and I think...I think I'm..." Ron searched for the right word. "I think I'm attracted to Hermione."


	5. Chapter 5

            Ginny burst out laughing.

            "You said you wouldn't laugh, Ginny, and it's _not_ funny!" said Ron indignantly, turning as red as his hair.

            "Sorry, Ron," Ginny apologized when she recovered.  "I don't want to embarrass you.  You know what? I'm not going to ask you any questions or anything, okay?"

            "Okay…Sure," Ron mumbled doubtfully.

            "Except…Why exactly are you telling me this?"

            "Well…I guess I just had to tell someone…so I wouldn't go completely insane," Ron mumbled, looking at the floor.

            "Ah." Ginny looked quite serious, but the corners of her mouth were twitching, and it was obvious that she was trying not to grin.

            "You think this is absolutely hilarious, don't you?"

            "No…No, of course not! Okay, Maybe just a little, but I want to help you."

            "How?"

            "I could give you some advice."

            "Why should I trust advice from _you_?"

            "Well why'd you tell me if you're not going to let me help you?"

            "I don't know.  It certainly hasn't helped me much."

            Ginny started to lose her temper.  "Well what exactly are you going to do without my help? You don't have any idea what, do you?"

            "Yeah, I do."

            "What?"

            "I won't do anything.  This is probably just a stupid, weird phase.  I don't know why I didn't think of that.  I'll just wait for it to pass."

            "Ron, You can't just-"

            Ron didn't wait for Ginny to finish her sentence.  He was already walking back upstairs to his room. 

            "It's just a phase.  Just a stupid phase," Ron told himself over and over as he went down to breakfast the next morning.

            Ron's eyes immediately went to Hermione when he entered the kitchen.  She looked up, and their eyes met.  Her eyes were angry.  She was still angry with him.

            Ron quickly looked away.  _"What were we arguing about?"_ he thought.  _"Oh, yes.  Viktor Krum."_   Anger filled him again just thinking about that stupid ugly Quidditch player, and he imagined that his piece of toast was Krum as he tore it apart.

            Ron and Hermione didn't speak a word to each other.  Harry kept glancing from one to the other, trying to start a conversation between them, but to no avail.  Ginny also occasionally glanced from one to the other.  Everyone else pretended not to notice.  

            "Anyone fancy a bit of Quidditch?" inquired Fred when breakfast was over.

            "Of course!" said Ron through a mouthful of toast, Harry nodding fervently.

            "_Ronald Weasley_! How many times have I told you not to talk with your mouth full?" scolded Mrs. Weasley.

            "Sorry, Mum."

            When they were all showered and dressed, Harry, Ron, Fred, and George headed to the small Weasley pasture, and passed several happy hours there.  Four certainly wasn't enough for a proper game, but divided into two teams, with a Chaser and a Keeper on each, and an apple for a Quaffle, they had almost as much fun, and Krum and Hermione were off of Ron's mind for a while.

            Many more idle summer hours were spent playing Quidditch, swimming, and in other enjoyable pastimes.  Ron spent most of his days out-of-doors, primarily because he wanted to avoid Ginny and Hermione as much as possible.  However, much sooner than Ron would have liked, summer was drawing to a close.

            Hogwarts letters arrived, and the Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione went on the annual shopping trip to Diagon Alley.  Ron was surprised to receive new, blue velvet dress robes from Fred and George, who said that they were from Harry.

            "You didn't need to do that, Harry," Ron said later, back at the Burrow.

            "Do what?'

            "Get me those new dress robes."  Ron's ears went slightly pink.

            "Oh.  That."  Harry grinned.  "Don't mention it.  I know how much you hated your old ones."

            Ron nodded.  He was grateful, but it always made him uncomfortable and rather jealous that Harry had so much more money than he did.  _"It must be nice,"_ he thought bitterly.

            That night, Ron imagined what he'd buy if he had as much money as Harry.  _"I'd buy a nice owl; a much better owl than that git Pigwidgeon.  Then I'd buy a Firebolt.  Then new robes so I wouldn't have to wear hand-me-downs…" _He thought all of this until he fell asleep. 


	6. Chapter 6

            Ron was just dreaming that he was holding the House Cup and the Quidditch Cup like he had seen himself in the Mirror of Erised when he found himself shaking and then rolling out of bed onto the floor. He woke up with a start to find Hermione in his room loudly telling him to get up.

                        "Whatidya do that for?" Ron grumbled, sitting up.  He yawned and rubbed his head where it had hit the floor.

            "Sorry, but I had to.  Your Mum asked me to wake you up, and waking you up is no easy task, I can tell you." Hermione didn't look straight at Ron but around the room instead.

            Ron suddenly remembered that it was September 1st.  "Oh," he said.  "Did you have to push me onto the floor, though?" He glared at Hermione.

            "Sorry.  That part was an accident."

            "I'm sure it was," Ron replied sarcastically.

            "Just hurry up and get dressed," Hermione snapped, leaving the room.

            "Awful cheerful this morning, isn't she?" Ron muttered to Pigwidgeon, who was in his cage by the window.

            Pigwidgeon didn't make a sound.  Ron looked closer and saw that he was still asleep.  "Lucky little git," said Ron.  "I can't believe you slept through that."

            Ron went downstairs about five minutes later to find the usual start-of-term chaos.  Everything was a blur.  It seemed that one minute he was quickly eating some buttered toast and the next, on the Hogwarts Express.

            Conversation on the train was very awkward, as Ron and Hermione were still refusing to speak to each other.  Hermione eventually left the compartment, as she was tiring of hearing Harry and Ron talk about Quidditch.

            As Ron and Harry exited the train at Hogsmeade Station, they heard McGonagall calling the First Years.  This seemed perfectly normal at first, but…Hagrid always took the First Years to the castle…

            "Where's Hagrid, Professor?" Harry asked McGonagall.

            "I'm afraid he's still on a mission for Dumbledore," said McGonagall.

            "Oh," Harry replied, obviously disappointed.  "When will he be back?"

            "I wish I could tell you, but I'm afraid no one quite knows."

            "Oh.  Thank you, Professor."

            "Oh, _boo_ hoo.  Harry's great hairy pal isn't here…" said Malfoy's drawling voice as Ron and Harry stepped out of their carriage in front of the castle.

            Crabbe and Goyle guffawed stupidly, as usual.

            "Just shut up, Malfoy," said Ron before Harry could say anything.

            Malfoy just snickered and walked towards the castle.

            "Hagrid'll probably be back soon," said Ron.  "And you know what?"

            "What?"

            "Maybe _Snape _won't be back yet, either!"

            Harry grinned.  "Good point."

            Ron and Harry both looked at the Head Table carefully when they walked into the Great Hall.  Ron sighed.  Snape was there with everyone else.

            "Oh, well," said Harry.  "It was nice while it lasted."

            "Who's that sitting beside Snape? I've never seen her before," said Ron.

            Sitting beside Snape was a rather attractive young woman with short, chestnut hair that curled under at the ends.  She was saying something to Professor Flitwick and smiling.

            Dumbledore stood up.  "Before we begin," he said, "Let us welcome our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor McKee."  He waved his hands in the direction of the young woman beside Snape.

            "Well, that answers my question," said Ron.

            "We haven't had a female Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher yet," said Hermione as she clapped with the rest.  "She seems friendly.  I can't wait to see what her teaching methods are like…"

            "Wonder why this one'll leave at the end of the term," said George.

            "Maybe she's a Death Eater in disguise!" suggested Fred.

            "I hope not," said Harry, turning slightly pale.  Fred and George didn't seem to notice.

            "All _I _know is that I might like Defense Against the Dark Arts a little better from now on," said a boy Ron didn't know, staring up at Professor McKee.  He wasn't the only one staring, either.

            "Honestly," said Hermione, rolling her eyes and shaking her head.

            "I also have another announcement to make," said Dumbledore when the chatter had subsided slightly.  "There will be some new courses added to the curriculum this year…"

            "WHAT?" exclaimed Ron.  He had barely passed fourth year with the courses he already had.  He looked around and saw many other people staring up at Dumbledore, including Harry.

            "Quiet, please!" said Dumbledore patiently, raising his voice to be heard over the chatter which had broken out again.  "These courses are _optional_, and include such things as art, music, and literature.  Of course, though optional, you _will_ be required to choose at least one to take this year.  That is all.  Now, let the feast begin!"

            "Art, music, and literature? Who would want to take anything like _that_?" said Ron.

            "I wondered why courses like that weren't offered before! I can't wait to sign up!" came Hermione's excited voice.

            "I spoke too soon," said Ron dully.


	7. Chapter 7

            Class sign-up sheets were handed out the next morning at breakfast, along with schedules.

            "Hey, Harry!" said Colin Creevey, suddenly appearing with his younger brother Dennis to sit by Ron and Harry.  "Guess what?"

            "What?" Harry said automatically.

            "There's a photography class on the list! Isn't that great? I'm so excited!"

            Colin didn't follow Harry around snapping pictures every two seconds anymore, but he still looked up to him, and he had also developed a lasting interest in magical photography.

            "That's great, Colin!"

            "Yeah…" 

            McGonagall brought the Sorting Hat in, a line of nervous First Years following her and looking at the hat with apprehension.

            Ron smiled.  He still remembered when he himself had been Sorted, and how nervous Harry and he had been.  He shook his head suddenly.

            "What?" said Harry, looking over at Ron quizzically.

            "I still can't believe I actually believed Fred when he said First Years had to wrestle a troll…"

            Harry laughed, remembering too, and Ron laughed as well.

            When the Sorting was over, everyone began discussing the sign-up sheets.

"Which of these do you think sounds easiest?" Harry asked Ron as they looked over the sheets.  "Maybe a literature class? We'd only have to read stuff in class and discuss it, probably…"

            "You kidding?" exclaimed Ron.  "Do you really want reading assignments every night?"

            "Good point…"

            "Hey! This won't be too bad!  There's a magical invention class!" exclaimed Fred.

            "Really? Where?" asked George.

            "Right there." Fred pointed to where the class was on the sheet.

            Fred and George got identical evil grins on their faces as they both marked their lists.

            "Easy for you," grumbled Ron.  "You're good at inventing things.  I'm not good at any of this stuff." 

            "Well, what _are_ you good at?" interrogated George.

            "Nothing.  Absolutely nothing."

            "Aw, Come on.  _Nobody's_ good at _nothing_…"

            "Okay, not nothing.  I'm good at chess.  That isn't going to help me with any classes, though."

            "You never know…" said Fred mysteriously.

            "Just shut up and let me look at the list."

            "At least we don't have to choose right away," said Harry.  "Says here we have a week to decide."

            "That's good," Ron replied.  "Anybody know what they'll be taking?" he said to the whole Gryffindor table, hoping for ideas.

            "I'm taking drawing, of course!" said Dean immediately.  "Maybe you and Harry should give it a try."

            "Nah.  I'm no artist."

            "It's graded on effort, not ability, you know…"

            Ron turned to look at Harry.  "What do you think?"

            Harry shrugged.  "Why not? I'll sign up for it if you do."

            "All right then," said Ron.  He and Harry both marked drawing on their lists.  "Now we'll just have to hand these in to McGonagall."

            Owls began arriving with the mail.  "What's happening?" asked a small First Year boy fearfully, looking up at all of the fluttering of wings and dropping of packages.

            Ron turned to the first year and opened his mouth to explain, but that was all the further he got.

            "You must be Muggle-born," Hermione said kindly to the boy.

            The boy nodded.

            "I'm Muggle-born, too.  Well, an owl came to your house and gave you your Hogwarts letter, right?"

            The boy nodded again. 

            "Well, that's how wizards always deliver mail.  Here at Hogwarts, the mail is delivered by owls every morning at this time.  It seems weird at first, but you'll get used to it."

            "Thank you," said the boy rather shyly.

            "Anytime.  What was your name, by the way?"

            "Andrew.  Andrew Carter.  Everybody calls me Andy."

            "I'm Hermione Granger.  You have any friends here, Andy?"

            Andy shook his head sadly.  "I was excited to come, of course, but it's kind of frightening.  All this new stuff and nobody I know to talk to…"

            Hermione smiled knowingly.  "I know just what you mean.  I was like that when I first came here."

            _"Yeah, I guess she **was** like that,"_ thought Ron.  _"She kept going on about all sorts of spells and such, but I guess she was trying to cover up how scared she really was…and then she didn't really have any friends, until that Wingardium Leviosa incident, and then the troll…"_

            "Really?"

            "Yes.  Don't worry, you'll get used to everything here after a while, and you'll like it here.  You'll probably make some new friends, too.  If you ever need help with anything, don't hesitate to ask me."

            _"Yeah, Hermione has certainly gotten used to things in the magical world.  She's way better than me at all of the subjects…Harry and I probably wouldn't have passed that first year without her help…and she still helps us…"_

            "Thank you," mumbled the boy.  "You're really nice to do that for me…"

            _"She's nice to help Harry and I, too, come to think of it.  She doesn't have to.  She could just get tired of us being stupid and let us fail…"_

            "Hey, you know what?" said Hermione suddenly.  "I think I know the perfect person to help you get situated here…" She looked across the table to where Harry and Ron were sitting.

            _"She can't possibly mean me,"_ thought Ron.  _"She better not.  I don't want to be stuck showing some scared little First Year around…"_

            "Colin?" said Hermione.  "Could you do me a favor?"

            "Er, Okay.  What is it?"

            "Could you show Andy here around and help him get situated here?"

            "I'd be delighted to! Oh, you're going to love it here, Andy! It's the most wonderful school in the world! It's a bit hard getting around at first, cuz the staircases move and everything, but I'll help you.  Then there's Quidditch, and flying lessons…"

            Colin was soon deep in conversation with Andy, telling him everything about Hogwarts while the little First Year listened to every word, wide-eyed, asking a lot of questions.

            "Now they'll both be happy," said Hermione to Harry, grinning.

            Harry laughed.  Ron started to laugh, too, but stopped himself suddenly.  He was angry with Hermione…

Just then, he had forgotten.


End file.
